Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-06
TUEsDAY........D DECEMBER 6. 1887.
Light at Last

The decision rendered yesterday by
the Supreme Court of the United States
in the Virginia contempt cases will lift q
burthen from the minds of almost all
good and true Virginians. The decision
would seem indeed to be all that the strict
est States rights man could ask Of that
august tribunal. We rejoice over this
decision. 1t betokens future for the
State OF Virginia that will be unbecloud-
ed by complicated debt-questions, and
also free from all apprehensions as tothe
harm that was to be done to Virginia and
all the other States by the lion that
threatened to stand in their pathway.
Like Christian in the Pilgrina's Pro-
grcss," this old State has been beset by
many foes. But the giant that stood
most in her way and menaced her with
overmastering attacks was the Supreme
Court Of the United States.
We would fain trust that the old Com
monwealth has now seen the worst if not
the last Of her pecuniary troubles. She has
at intervals for seventeen years had her
affairs before judicial tribunals which
had no right to summon her to their
presence. She has expended much time
and much money in the effort to secure
the recognition of her rights as a sover-
eign State. She has resorted to every
allowable measure in order to establish
if possible her right to pay her debt in
her own way, without intervention by
strangers. She has at las, been set free.
We arc writing without iul informa-
ton in the premises {; but We sec in the
fact that Mr.. Justice MATTHEWS was put
up to read the opinion of the court evil
dence that some of his views uttered
heretofore in Virginia cases had to be
differentiated from those which were to
be uttered in these contempt cases. He
was allowed to do this for himself but
all the same the unavoidable inference IS
that Nh. Justice MATTHEWS went too lar
two or three years ago, and has now been
afforded an opportunity to set himself
fright upon the record"
vs-eiaio will now go on and sue all OF
her tax-owers who refuse to become tax
payers. She will put cloud upon the
title 70 every piece of real estate the taxes
upon which its owner shall attempt TO
pay with coupons At least this is what
would now appear to be her probable
course in the future.
We do not pretend to say that there
is not well-defned difference between
these contempt cases decided yesterday
and the coupon cases previously decided
by the Supreme Court. This fact is not
important. The opinion in the contempt
cases will serve as beacon light to the
financial mariners in the States service,
and enable them to avoid the rocks
which may yet be found to lie in the way
OF the old ship of State.
If the bondholders have not been
stricken with judicial blindness they will
now see that their wisest course will be
to accept the terms offered them last
spring by the Virginia Legislature or
terms substantially the same. There is
under our dual form Of government, as
is 80 clearly pointed out to all persons,
creditors or not, in the eleventh
amendment, no means OF COM
polling a sovereign State to pay its
debts. Virginia is not peculiar in
this respect. The United States Govern
ment cannot by suits be made to pay its
debts. No more can England, France,
Germany, or any other country. War is
the only resort in such cases.
As TO BOND, let him join hands with
MALONE and 60
"pown TO the dust from which no sprung,
Unwept, unhonored, aud unsung'"
p. s. We have, since the foregoing
was written, received telegram stating
how Mr.. Justice MATTHEWS differen-
tiated the contempt cases from the cou-
pom cases of other years. We are not
surprised, as our article above testifes.
MIR. RoYALL went down with all his
colors flying. AS he sank beneath the
waves he crossed his fingers and cried
out "Scissors !" in the manner follow
ing--to wit:
WASHINGTON, December 6.-The Su.
preme Court decided the case against me,
but leaves the doctrine Of Poindexter as.
Greenhow still in force. / shall there
fore advise the bondhoiders to continue
TO sue all officers for damages who levy
executions under the coupon-crusher.
WILLIAM Il. RoYALJ.
"vell, yot OF it?" as Mr.. Weller
was so fond of asking. We hope for bet
Ter things from Mr.. RoYALL. he will,
We are confident, soon advise his client:
to take the millions Virginia offers rather
than the few hundreds which suits offer.
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The Banks and Their Notes.